The Blog!  Blogs are popping up everywhere. Your favorite website has one. Your favorite television show has one. Even your teenager has one.   Blogs  --  What are they? Why are they everywhere you look?

Most simply put, blogs are like journals.  Instead of being made of the paper and cardboard kept secret by an even thinner piece of cardboard and a lock your baby brother frequently opened with a paperclip, these journals are online.  Why does it seem like everyone has one?  Well, because almost everyone does; and there is a good reason. Blogs can be used as journals, both private and public; they can be used as ways for fans to discuss the latest episode of their favorite show; or they can be used by major companies, especially those that are Internet-based, because unlike the traditional forms of advertising, blogs bring in more traffic.

For business purposes, there are many ways companies use blogs. For example, a company may have several blogs on its website, each one dedicated to something different: customer concerns, product updates, etc. In addition to being helpful to customers and other website visitors, these blogs bring in more traffic to the website.  Depending on the website, more traffic usually means more money.

So, how exactly do blogs bring in more traffic? The search engine visits your page more each time you update, ultimately moving your blog higher and higher on the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page).

Some pointers? First, the blogger will need to decide what he or she is going to write about. Choose a popular topic, one that people are interested in. Underwater Basket Weaving wouldn’t be a very wise choice as not many people seem to be interested in it. Unless, of course, you’re business is underwater basket weaving, in which case you should by all means write about it. Next, focus on some keywords; these are the words that search engines are going to pick up on. Don’t overdo it with keywords in your blog, but use them whenever you effectively can. Lastly, make sure you write content that will attract, and keep, a strong readership. You want your readers to keep coming back, right?

Go ahead, join the millions of people and businesses alike. Get yourself a blog.  Or corner your boss and suggest writing one for your company.  Explain how blogs bring in more traffic, more traffic means more money!

Judy Curtis,

Contributor